Extractor for guide rolls

ABSTRACT

An extractor for withdrawing or inserting the rolls of a continuous-casting machine, particularly the rolls of a curved roll-rack. The extractor is portable and carried by a crane or the like. The frame of the extractor has hooks which engage knobs on a fixed part of the casting machine to obtain a purchase. The extractor includes a carriage movably supported on the frame, and roll-handling means mounted on the carriage for connecting the extractor to the rolls to pick them up and withdraw or insert them.

[ 1 June 17, 1975 United States Patent [191 Bode, Jr. et al.

Galluccia..........................

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[73] Assignee: United States Steel Corporation, Anomey' Agent, or w p wPittsburgh, Pa.

Dec. 26, 1973 Appl. No.: 428,566

ABSTRACT [22] Filed:

An extractor for Withdrawing or inserting the rolls of a -castingmachine, particularly the rolls of a -rack. The extractor is portableand carried by a crane or the like. The frame of the extractor has hookswhich engage knobs on a fixed part of the casting machine to obtain apurchase. The extractor includes a carriage movably supported on theframe,

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UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,080.647 29/252 15 Claims, 7 Drawing FiguresEXTRACTOR FOR GUIDE ROLLS This invention relates to an improvedextractor for withdrawing or inserting the rolls of a continuous castingmachine. and to an improved extracting method.

Our extractor and method are particularly useful for withdrawing orinserting the rolls of a curved roll-rack. which guides a casting as itsdirection of travel through the continuous-casting machine changes fromvertical to horizontal. The casting still has a liquid core as it passesthrough the curved roll-rack. and hence must be closely confined toprevent its solidified skin from bulging. A curved roll-rack includes alarge number of opposed top and bottom idler rolls. which contact theconcave and convex faces respectively of the casting at close intervals,and sometimes a number of driven rolls interspersed with the idlers toassist in propelling the casting. The rolls of a curved roll-rack aresubject to severe operating conditions which result from their di rectexposure both to the hot casting and to the water sprays applied to thecasting to cool it and promote solidification. Consequently it isnecessary frequently to remove these rolls for maintenance. Similarproblems may be encountered in maintaining the rolls of a straightroll-rack, and our extractor and method may be used here also.

Reference can be made to the commonly owned Gal- Iucci U.S. Pat. No.3.763.923 for a showing of an extractor which has been used heretofore.The frame of the Gallucci extractor is permanently pivoted to thesupporting structure of the casting machine. Hence the extractor lacksportability. After it has been used to withdraw a roll or roll cluster.a separate crane must be used to pick up the roll transport the rolls toa work area. Similar operations are needed to replace the roll or rollcluster. Another difficulty is that an elaborate mechanism is needed foraligning the extractor wi h the particular rolls which are to bewithdrawn from the machine.

An object of our invention is to provide an improved extractor which isportable and can be carried by a crane into position for withdrawing orreplacing a roll or roll cluster and also used to carry a roll to a workarea.

A further object is to provide an improved extractor which avoids theneed for any special aligning mechanism.

A further object is to provide an improved extractor which is cooperablewith a continuous-casting machine to hook onto fixed parts of themachine to obtain the purchase necessary to withdraw a roll or rollcluster.

A further object is to provide an improved extractor which, in oneembodiment, has means for directly engaging the rolls of a cluster oftwo rolls journaled in a common chock, thereby avoiding need for speciallugs on the clusters to enable the extractor to be connected thereto.

A more specific object, with respect to the lastmentioned embodiment, isto provide an improved extractor which has heads insertable between therolls of a cluster and rotatable 90 from their insertion position toengage the rolls and connect with the cluster.

A further object is to provide an improved method of extracting andhandling roll clusters in which the extractor is crane-carried intoposition and hooked to fixed parts of a continuous-casting machine.

In the drawing:

FIG. I is a partly diagrammatic side elevational view of a portion of acontinuous-casting machine equipped with one embodiment of extractorconstructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view on a larger scale of the extractor shown inFIG. I,

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view with parts broken away of theextractor shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an end elevational view from the left on a still larger scaleof the extractor shown in FIGS. 2 and FIG. 5 is a partly diagrammaticside elevational view of a portion of a continuous-casting machineequipped with a modified embodiment of extractor constructed inaccordance with our invention;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary top plan view on a larger scale of the extractorshown in FIG. 5; and FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the extractorshown in FIG. 6.

EXAMPLE OF CURVED ROLL-RACK FIG. 1 shows a curved roll-rack of aconstruction similar to that shown in the commonly owned applications ofAnderton et al. Ser. No. 265,379. filed June 22, I972, a continuation ofwhich issued as US. Pat. No. 334L389, and Hall et al Ser. No. 392.170filed Aug. 27, I973. The embodiment of the extractor shown in FIGS. I to4 is particularly useful in conjunction with a curved roll-rack of thisconstruction. Nevertheless use of this extractor is not thus limited, ashas been pointed out and will become more apparent from the ensuingdescription.

The curved roll-rack shown in FIG. I includes a frame constructed ofarcuate lower, middle and upper idler roll support sections l0, l2 andI3 assembled in aligned end-to-end relation. a first fabricated basemember 14 located between the lower and middle sections 10 and 12, asecond fabricated base member 15 located between the middle and uppersections 12 and I3, and a third fabricated base member 16 located at thetop of the upper section 13. The curved roll rack is supported on arigid structure 17. A straightener l8 and a bending roll unit 19 of anystandard or desired construction are supported at the exit and entryends respectively of the curved roll-rack. The frame sections carry attheir concave edges a plurality of roll supports 20 in which aresupported bottom and top clusters 21 and 22 of opposed idler rolls. Eachbottom cluster includes a chock 23 in which two bottom rolls arejournaled. Likewise each top cluster includes a chock 24 in which twotop rolls are journaled. Both bottom and top clusters are withdrawn orinserted at the concave side of the frame and are held in their supports20 with fasteners 2S (wedges or nuts). The base members I4 and 15 servenot only to support arcuate frame sections, but also as roll housingsfor bottom and top driven rolls 26 and 27. Each roll support 20 carriesa respective knob 28 which extends from its outside face near its upperend. The roll supports at the opposite side of the frame (not shown) aresimilar. The purpose of the knobs 28 is to enable the extractor toobtain a purchase on the fixed parts of the curved roll-rack, ashereinafter explained.

EXTRACTOR (FIGS. 1 to 4) FIG. I shows an extractor 31 constructed inaccordance with one embodiment of our invention suspended from aconventional overhead crane 32 which has back and front hoists 33 and33a. The crane runs on a track 34. The hoists suspend respective backand front pairs of crane hooks 3S and 351: which engage respective pairsof lifting eyes 36 and 36:! or equivalent located at opposite sides ofthe extractor adjacent the back end and spaced rearwardly from the frontend. The extractor has a rigid frame of welded construction which, asbest shown in FIGS. 2. 3 and 4, includes side members 37, back andcentral transverse members 38 and 39. and depending U-shaped back andfront legs 40 and 40a. The front ends of the side members 37 carryforwardly extending downwardly open hooks 42 rigidly affixed to theiroutside faces for engagement with any selected set of knobs 28 on thecurved roll rack.

The inside faces of the side members 37 carry respective opposed rails45 (FIG. 4). A carriage 46 within the frame has top and bottom rollers47 and 48 which engage and run on rails 45. The carriage likewise has arigid frame of welded construction and includes side members 49 to whichthe rollers 47 and 48 are jour naled. and back and front transversemembers 50 and 51. The extractor frame carries motive means operativclyconnected with carriage 46 for propelling the carriage along rails 45.The motive means illustrated includes a pair of double-acting hydrauliccylinders 52 connected to the back transverse member 38 of the extractorframe. and respective pistons and piston rods 53 operating within thecylinders and connected with the back transferse frame member 50 of thecarriage (FIG. 2 Respective motor driven pumps 54 supply hydraulic fluidto the cylinders. The motors for driving the pumps are indicated at 55.and reservoirs for hydraulic fluid at 56. The hydraulic circuit is nototherwise illustrated since it is constructed in accordance with wellknown principles. It is apparent also that many equivalent forms ofmotive means could be devised in lieu of the hydraulic mechanismillustrated.

Carriage 46 also includes a pair of frames 59, one on each side,rectangular in plan and open at the top and bottom rigidly affixed toits front transverse frame member 51. Respective rotary actuators 60 arefixed to the carriage within frames 59. The actuators are driven by apump 61 which in turn is driven by a motor 62. A reservoir 63 forhydraulic fluid is positioned alongside the motor and pump. We have notshown the actuators and the drive mechanism therefor in detail sincesuitable devices are known and available commercially. One example isthe Shcffer Power Unit Model PPVIOJB supplied by The ShefferCorporation, Cincinnati, Ohio. FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 show the pump, motor andreservoir mounted on top of the carriage 46. while FIG. I shows thesemechanisms mounted on the bottom. We prefer to mount the mechanisms onthe top where they are more easily accessible, but in some installationswe mount them on the bottom, since there is insufficient clearance withparts of the casting machine to permit us to mount them on the top.

The actuators 60 have forwardly projecting rotatable spindles 65 onwhich we mount respective rolI' engaging heads 66. The back ends of theheads are journaled in bearings 67 mounted on frames 59 (FIG. 2). Theheads have spaced apart back and front flanges 68 and 69 contoured toengage the cylindrical surfaces of the rolls. Flange 68 may be circularin outline and continuous. Flange 69 has two diametrically opposedinterruptions or flat portions 70 (FIG. 4). Each time the actuators 60are operated, they rotate their spindles and heads 66 90. Initially theheads are in a position in which the flat faces of the front flanges 69are horizontal. In this position flanges 69 can pass between the tworolls of any selected top cluster 22 or the two rolls of any selectedbottom cluster 21 of the curved roll rack. When the heads rotate 90 fromthis position, the front flanges 69. as well as the back flanges 68positively engage the rolls of a cluster.

Preferably we equip the extractor with automatically operating latchmechanisms which positively latch the hooks 42 to any selected set ofknobs 28. As best shown in FIG. 3, the latch mechanism at each sideincludes a respective plunger 73 mounted within a longitudinal bore 74formed in hook 42. A compression spring 75 is housed within bore 74 andacts at opposite ends against the plunger 73 and a nut 76 mounted on theback end of the hook to urge the plunger forward to its latchingposition. A cable 77 is connected at its front end to plunger 73 and atits back end to a vertical pin 78. This pin depends from a slide 79which is mounted within guides 80 fixed to the outside of the sidemember 37. The carriage 46 carries a tripper 8I engageable with pin 78(FIG. 4). When the carriage retracted, the tripper abuts the pin andpulls plunger 73 to a position in which hook 42 is open so that it canbe freely engaged with or removed from knobs 28. When the carriage isextended, spring 75 pushes the plunger 0t its latching position. wherebythe extractor is safely latched to the fixed parts of the curved rollrack.

OPERATION In operation, crane 32 picks up the extractor 31 and carriesit to a position in which hooks 42 engage the set of knobs 28 oppositethe roll cluster to be withdrawn from the curved roll rack and thusobtain a purchase of the extractor on fixed parts of the curvedroll-rack. We disengage the fasteners 25 for the cluster to be removed.We operate cylinders 52 to project carriage 46 and at the same timeautomatically operate plungers 73 to latch the hooks to the knobs. Whilethe carriage is projected, the heads 66 of course are in a position inwhich the front flanges 69 can pass between two rolls of a cluster 21 or22. As soon as the carriage is fully projected, we operate the rotaryactuators 60 to rotate the heads 66 90. Thereafter we retract thecarriage and thus pull the roll cluster from the frame of the curvedroll rack. The plungers 73 retract automatically, whereafter we use thecrane and extractor to carry the cluster to any suitable work area. Wefollow similar steps in reverse order in installing a roll cluster.Since both top and bottom clusters of the curved roll-rack shown in FIG.I are installed or removed at the concave side ofthe rack, it isunnecessary ever to transport the extractor to the convex side.

MODIFICATION OF FIGS. 5 to 7 FIG. 5 shows a modified form of theextractor 84 constructed in accordance with our invention, but used witha different form of roll-rack in which the bottom and top roll clusters85 and 86 near the upper end of a frame 87 are withdrawn or inserted atthe convex side. In this instance three rolls are journaled in commonchocks 88. The frame 87 carries knobs 89 corresponding with knobs 28 ofthe embodiment already described. The chocks of both bottom and topclusters carry cars 90 which project outwardly toward the convex side ofthe roll rack.

The extractor 84 is suspended from a conventional overhead crane (notshown) with back and front pairs of crane hooks or shackles 92 and 9211.The hooks or shackles engage respective pairs of lifting eyes 93' and93a or equivalent located at opposite sides of the extractor adjacentthe back end and spaced rearwardly from the front end. The extractor hasa two-part frame formed of a relatively fixed section 94 and arelatively movable section 95. The fixed section includes rails96 whichextend along its inside faces. The movable section has rollers 97 whichride on said rails. We insert a spring-pressed pin 99 through either oftwo holes 100 or 1000 in the fixed section 94 and a hole 101 in themovable section 95. When we use the extractor to handle a bottom clusterof rolls 85, we insert pin 99 in holes 100 and 101 and thus hold themovable section in a retracted position with respect to the fixedsection. When we use the extractor to handle a top cluster of rolls 86,we advance the movable section 95 along the rails 96 and insert pin 99in holes 100a and 101 and thus hold the movable section in an extendedposition with respect to the fixed section. We connect a cable 102 orthe like to pin 99 to withdraw the pin when we wish to change theposition of the movable section 95. Cable 102 extends through a curvedguide tube 103 to a convenient location for grasping it manually. Thefront end of the fixed section 94 carries forwardly ex tendingdownwardly open hooks 104 rigidly affixed to its outside faces forengagement with any set of knobs 89.

A carriage 105 within the movable frame section 95 has rollers 106 whichengage and run on rails 96. When the extractor is positioned to engage atop cluster of rolls 86, the rails are aligned with tension bars 108 ofthe curved roll rack, and rollers 106 can run on the tension bars. Themovable frame section 95 carries motive means operatively connected withcarriage 105 for propelling the carriage along rails 96 and tension bars108. The motive means illustrated again includes a pair of double-actinghydraulic cylinders 109 (only one shown) attached to the movable framesection. and respective pistons and piston rods 110 operating within thecylinders and connected with the carriage (FIG. 6). The hydrauliccircuit can be similar to that of the embodiment already described.Hence, the showing and description are not separated.

Carriage 105 has a pair of upstanding brackets 113 located at oppositesides (only one shown). Each bracket carries a respective pair ofoutwardly projecting stops 114 and has upper and lower holes 115 locatedforwardly of the stops. Carriage 105 also carries a pair of transversefluid-pressure cylinders 116 (only one shown which contain respectivereciprocable pistons and plungers 117. The plungers are aligned withholes 115.

After we hook the extractor to a set of knobs 89, we operate cylinders109 and thus move the carriage 105 forward. The carriage advances untilthe stops 114 abut the ears 90. When the stops and cars abut, holes 115are aligned with corresponding holes in the ears. We operate cylinders116 to project plungers 117 into the aligned holes, whereafter weoperate cylinders 109 to withdraw the roll cluster. After withdrawingthe bottom cluster by this procedure and releasing it, we can ad vancethe movable frame section 95 to its extended position and withdraw thetop cluster. Again we follow similar steps in reverse order ininstalling a roll cluster.

We have illustrated a counterweight 118 mounted on the back end of thefixed frame section 94 and a grating 119 mounted on the bottom. Thecounterweight serves to balance the extractor when the extractor iscarrying a roll cluster. The grating serves to support a workman toenable him to make minor repairs on a roll-rack without actuallyextracting a cluster. We have shown hook 104 equipped with a latchmechanism similar to that shown in the first embodiment. but in thisinstance released manually with a cable 120.

With either of the illustrated embodiments of our invention, we canstore the extractor in any convenient location where it is out of theway but accessible to the crane as long as we are not actually using it.When the crane positions the extractor to withdraw or insert a selectedroll cluster, the hooks 42 and 104 can engage the knobs 28 and 89without need for any special aligning mechanism. Whenever the hooksengage the knob. the crane easily tilts the extractor to the properposition for the roll-engaging means to engage the rolls.

We claim:

1. An extractor for removing or inserting the rolls of acontinuous-casting machine. said extractor comprising a portable frame.means on said frame to be engaged for lifting and positioning the framewith respect to the machine, means on one end of said frame forremovably engaging fixed parts of the machine at any of a plurality oflocations to afford a purchase of the frame on the machine at a locationcorresponding with any roll to be removed or inserted. an extensible andretractable carriage carried by said frame. motive means carried by saidframe and operatively connected with said carriage, roll-handling meanscarried by said carriage, and operating means on said carriage forconnecting the handling means to a roll and disconnecting it therefrom.

2. An extractor as defined in claim 1 in which said means for liftingand positioning the frame includes lifting eyes mounted on said frame atspaced apart locations thereon and adapted to be engaged by crane hooks.

3. An extractor as defined in claim 1 in which said means for engagingfixed parts of the machine includes hooks at one end of said frame atopposite sides thereof engageable with knobs on fixed parts of themachine.

4. An extractor as defined in claim 3 comprising in addition retractablelatch means carried by said frame for latching said hooks in engagementwith the knobs.

5. An extractor as defined in claim 4 in which said latch meansautomatically assumes its latching position when said carriage isextended and automatically retracts when said carriage is retracted.

6. An extractor as defined in claim 4 in which said latch means includesrespective plungers slidably mounted in said hooks, spring means actingon said plungers and urging them to latching position, operating pinsfor said plungers connected therewith, and trippers carried by saidcarriage and engageable with said pins for automatically retracting saidplungers when said carriage is retracted.

7. An extractor as defined in claim 1 in which said roll-handling meansdirectly engages the rolls themselves.

8. An extractor as defined in claim 7 in which said roll-handling meansare rotatable and have a first position in which they may be insertedbetween two rolls of a cluster and a second position angularly spacedfrom said first position in which they can withdraw and carry thecluster. and said operating means includes means for rotating saidroll-handling means.

9. An extractor as defined in claim 8 in which said roll-handling meansare rotated approximately 90 to move them between said first positionand said second position.

10. An extractor as defined in claim 8 in which said roll-handling meansinclude heads having from and back flanges at opposite ends contoured toengage cy lindrical roll surfaces, said front flanges being interruptedto enable said heads to pass between the rolls when said roll-handlingmeans are in said first position 11. An extractor as defined in claim 1in which said roll-handling means indirectly engages the rolls throughthe'chocks in which the rolls are journaledr 12. An extractor as definedin claim 11 in which said roll-handling means includes an upstandingbracket mounted on said carriage cooperahle with ears carried by theroll Chocks.

13. An extractor as defined in claim 12 in which said brackets carrystops cooperable with ears on the chocks for positioning the carriageand further comprising transversely movahle plungers for connecting thebrackets and ears.

[4. An extractor as defined in claim 1 in which said frame hasrelatively fixed and relatively movable sections. said extractorcomprising means for holding said movable section in one position withrespect to said fixed section to handle a top cluster of rolls and asecond position to handle a bottom cluster or rolls.

15. An extractor as defined in claim 1 comprising in addition acounterweight carried by said frame remote from said roll-handling meansto balance the extractor when carrying rolls.

1. An extractor for removing or inserting the rolls of acontinuous-casting machine, said extractor comprising a portable frame,means on said frame to be engaged for lifting and positioning the framewith respect to the machine, means on one end of said frame forremovably engaging fixed parts of the machine at any of a plurality oflocations to afford a purchase of the frame on the machine at a locationcorresponding with any roll to be removed or inserted, an extensible andretractable carriage carried by said frame, motive means carried by saidframe and operatively connected with said carriage, roll-handling meanscarried by said carriage, and operating means on said carriage forconnecting the handling means to a roll and disconnecting it therefrom.2. An extractor as defined in claim 1 in which said means for liftingand positioning the frame includes lifting eyes mounted on said frame atspaced apart locations thereon and adapted to be engaged by crane hooks.3. An extractor as defined in claim 1 in which said means for engagingfixed parts of the machine includes hooks at one end of said frame atopposite sides thereof engageable with knobs on fixed parts of themachine.
 4. An extractor as defined in claim 3 comprising in additionretractable latch means carried by said frame for latching said hooks inengagement with the knobs.
 5. An extractor as defined in claim 4 inwhich said latch means automatically assumes its latching position whensaid carriage is extended and automatically retracts when said carriageis retracted.
 6. An extractor as defined in claim 4 in which said latchmeans includes respective plungers slidably mounted in said hooks,spring means acting on said plungers and urging them to latchingposition, operating pins for said plungers connected therewith, andtrippers carried by said carriage and engageable with said pins forautomatically retracting said plungers when said carriage is retracted.7. An extractor as defined in claim 1 in which said roll-handling meansdirectly engages the rolls themselves.
 8. An extractor as defined inclaim 7 in which said roll-handling means are rotatable and have a firstposition in which they may be inserted between two rolls of a clusterand a second position angularly spaced from said first position in whichthey can withdraw and carry the cluster, and said operating meansincludes means for rotating said roll-handling means.
 9. An extractor asdefined in claim 8 in which said roll-handling means are rotatedapproximately 90* to move them between said first position and saidsecond position.
 10. An extractor as defined in claim 8 in which saidroll-handling means include heads having front and back flanges atopposite ends contoured to engage cylindrical roll surfaces, said frontflanges being interrupted to enable said heads to pass between the rollswhen said roll-handling means are in said first position.
 11. Anextractor as defined in claim 1 in which said roll-handling meansindirectly engages the rolls through the chocks in which the rolls arejournaled.
 12. An extractor as defined in claim 11 in which saidroll-handling means includes an upstanding bracket mounted on saidcarriage cooperable with ears carried by the roll chocks.
 13. Anextractor as defined in claim 12 in which said brackets carry stopscooperable with ears on the chocks for positioning the carriage, andfurther comprising transversely movable plungers for connecting thebrackets and ears.
 14. An extractor as defined in claim 1 in which saidframe has relatively fixed and relatively movable sections, saidextractor comprising means for holding said movable section in oneposition with respect to said fixed section to handle a top cluster ofrolls and a second position to handle a bottom cluster or rolls.
 15. Anextractor as defined in claim 1 comprising in addition a counterweightcarried by said frame remote from said roll-handling means to balancethe extractor when carrying rolls.